Problem solved: Let Shelby Cohen, in house DIY'er and essential oil enthusiast show us how to make a Vegan lip balm.

You may have noticed our ‘DIY’ section stocked with beautiful packaging for all your natural home made beauty needs. For this project, we like the 15ml silver balm containers. If you want to get extra pretty you can order the labels from staples to match: these ones are code 08293.

It won’t be winter all year long so this recipe makes 3 lip balms, one for home, one for being chapped-lip free at work, and one lucky one for the pocket.

Orna earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1999 from McGill University in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a minor in Psychology. Wanting to learn more about the body’s innate ability to heal, she later continued her studies in Toronto at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where she attended a four-year medical program in the science of natural healing.

Over the last 10 years, as co-owner of the Harmony Health Centre, Orna has been dedicated to helping her patients regain their vitality. She offers a safe environment in which to explore the underlying issues affecting their health. She is passionate about health promotion and is committed to providing others with the tools they need to maintain a healthy and balanced life.

The fact is, Superfoods are more expensive food products because everyone up and down the chain - given that the company has integrity - is valued and celebrated as essential to its existence. The land, the people, the animals, the energy. The complex network of interconnected systems. A true superfood is delicately crafted, authentic and revolutionary.

#1 Wheatgrass Juice

One of the world’s most coveted health tonics known since egyptian times. This juice taken by the ounce offers so many minerals it can make your head spin. Containing 70% chlorophyll to alkalize your system with vitamins A, B's, C, and E to get you through those long work days, Wheatgrass is a juice not to be taken in large quantities. It takes a lot of time and care to prepare a single ounce of juice, so love it all up when you do finally get the chance.

#2: Cacao

It comes in many forms: nibs, oil, beans, paste, powder, and our favorite chocolate bars and it's one of the most revered foods planet wide for it's antioxidant properties. We all know that chocolate not only tastes good, it feels good thanks to its amino acid profile containing: Anandamide and, Phenylethylamine (PEA).

What I eat massively affects how I perform on both a day to day basis and in the long term. Eating right improves all of my bodily functions including mental, which is extremely important for an athlete.

Who are the PUM people behind such great salads?

PUM was started by 4 friends who got tired of the stigmas, misconceptions and fear over such food and fresh produce in general. We always say "no extremism". We truly want to democratise natural food and stop preaching to the converted!

English

Here is a little Q&A with Tereska from the amazing Urban Seedling. If you are looking to start a small balcony or backyard garden this year here's some great info and a great company to get you going.

Why Keeping your garden Organic is the best way possible.

Why do you choose organic seeds and plants for building your gardens?

It is important to use organic seeds and gardening practices for many reasons. Not only do we want to reduce and eliminate harmful chemicals from our environment, eating chemical free is better for your health. In terms of gardening, when you start with organic plants and seeds, and continue with organic gardening practices, you invite a healthy ecosystem of beneficial microorganisms and insects who do a lot of the gardening work for you. A healthy, fertile, living soil supports healthy happy plants to provide you with a delicious, bountiful harvest.

What's the big difference between your seeds and the stuff I can buy at the dollar store?

Our seeds are locally sourced, from organic farms near Montreal and in Vermont. They are heirloom and heritage varieties of plants and seeds specially curated to do well in our short growing season, and limited city spaces.

Is there any such thing as an "organic" pesticide?

There are pesticides that qualify for organic certification, however it is much more effective, and better for your ecosystem to garden naturally by inviting beneficial insects and good microorganism into a happy, healthy garden to let them do the work for you.

What is a 'must have' plant to grow in my garden given limited space, for instance, a pot on my balcony?

Kale! Kale is a plant that is super easy to grow. You can plant it right away in the spring, and it will keep on producing tons of delicious leaves for you all season long right into the winter.

DId you know that bitterness and astringency are two completely different tastes that can be eliminated or enhanced? I know, cool story! We interviewed two of the best Canadian, organic and raw chocolate companies, click below to find out more.

Your local beeswax is definitely a product of the flowers you see, and smell daily. Don’t we all need, to feel a little more connected to our immediate surroundings? Yes we do friends, let us slather our lives with local flora beeswax.

It was a long time ago, in a place called Verdun where i had returned to after moving temporarily to Chile. It was the third time in my life i had arrived in a place with just a bag and a box to my name. I was starting over again from skratch. And skratch is where i l wanted to stay. I liked my empty space, my arid appartment, the echo of my voice in the white rooms i called home.

Deciding to resist the temptation to begin a new temporary collection of stuff i purposefully didn't buy anything. I was letting things come to me, and so with a bed and an old used couch and a table to eat at I started again.

So how to cook under these conditions, I wasn't about to suffer, I was about to explore new ways of doing things. It was a gift from friends, an old rice steamer, a garage sale toaster oven and kettle. I began to cook under limited acess to common appliances.

A lot of creativity can be found when you have to make-do with what you have.

Place your veg on a plate. They look great.

Recipe

It may not have been my best recipe, but I have probably made this more often then any other, and with many variations. I love it because it is simple, delicious and healthy. And, when i close up shop at night i get home and i'm hungry and i dont want to fuss with food prep, at this point i have niether time nor patience. This recipe just happens to be also incredibly healthy.

This takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion

1 tomato

1 red pepper

1 zucchini

1 tofu burger la Soyarie

STEP 1

Get your veggies and the tofu burger - any flavour by la Soyarie works well - and fill that empty plate (see above picture). Chop everything up and place on a baking sheet.

DRESSING

maple syrup

olive oil

tamari

herb de provence

STEP 2

Take a tablespoon in your hand, measure one of every dressing ingredient listed to the left. Drizzle over the chopped veg. Mix the chopped veg.

STEP 3

BAKING 375°F 10 to 15 minutes

Bake all vegetables, dare I say it, you don't even have to pre-heat the oven. Just do it.

STEP 4

Cover 1 or 2 plates with a bed of spinach. Place hot cooked veg on the plate. Wait one minute to cool. Devour with gusto.

NOTES

This may be done in a toaster oven. This may be shared with another. I eat this all and i never regret it. I have also shared this when necessary.